1. Do you think this chapter overstates, understates, or accurately states the connection to poverty and achievement? Why?
2. Which of the seven factors pose the strongest challenge for you in your classroom?
3. Do these factors seem impossible to overcome, or can you envision overcoming them? Explain your reasoning.
This is an accurate portrayal of children of poverty and the issues that affect their performance. In my experience, gifted students from poor homes often don't even get identified. There are often so many other issues that are screaming for our attention that we as teachers sometimes fail to even recognize the abilities of these students. Donna
ReplyDeleteI like your comment about gifted students. It is hard for me to identify musical ability as well, in these children when there are so many other issues in the forefront. I'm hopeful that this book will be a great help with that challenge.
DeleteChildren with gifted or higher level thinking abilities are often overlooked because they can already do a lot of the work you ask them to do. I am looking to challenge those students and get all students to show some growth, not just the under-achieving students. I think it is important for all levels to be pushed to reach their potential and high-level, poverty stricken children often are overlooked.
DeleteKarr, You bring up a great point that we need to be more aware of making sure that we don't overlook those students and engage them in the ways they thrive. We often put so much emphasis on bringing other students up, that I agree those higher students have more opportunity be looked over because they don't fit into that specific category we are looking at.
DeleteOf the seven factors discussed, I think motivation is the greatest challenge. It is so frustrating to see the potential in a child who doesn't see it in himself. It's a situation that leaves you feeling so helpless!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Donna! Motivation is a great challenge! When the student does not believe they can do anything it makes it hard to get them to try.
DeleteI don't see these factors as impossible to overcome. Understanding them will be a great first step. It's kind of overwhelming to think about how these kids have so much working against them. Imagine how they must feel! Hopefully this book will give us some practical ways to connect with them and help them succeed..
ReplyDelete1. Do you think this chapter overstates, understates, or accurately states the connection to poverty and achievement? Why?
ReplyDeleteI think that this chapter was pretty accurate. It seemed very straightforward. I thought that many of the attitudes described here was very prevalent in title one schools that I have worked with.
2. Which of the seven factors pose the strongest challenge for you in your classroom? I think that deep understanding poses a challenge for me. I see the children so little and other than in very intense settings such as music club, it is hard for me to take them to deeper levels. I am hoping to learn more about this in the book.
3. Do these factors seem impossible to overcome, or can you envision overcoming them? Explain your reasoning. I do not see these factors as impossible to overcome, but I do see them as taking time. Relationships are so important in building trust, and in turn, building a strong classroom. This takes adequate time.
This is Aubrey Bridges, by the way... :)
DeleteI agree that these factors are not impossible to overcome, but they do take a lot of time. Relationships definitely build a strong classroom, and relationships take time to create. I can see where deep understanding would pose a challenge for you because you are with the students for a short period of time each week, but you do a wonderful job with the time you have!
Delete1. Do you think this chapter overstates, understates, or accurately states the connection to poverty and achievement? Why?
ReplyDeleteThis chapter accurately states the connection to poverty and achievement because I have witnessed students who struggle to achieve due to the level of poverty they are exposed to. The environment in which students come from tremendously affects their achievement. Several statements throughout the chapter stood out to me, including, “Children who grow up with positive relationships learn healthy, appropriate emotional responses to everyday situations. Children raised in poor households often fail to learn these responses because of absent or stressed caregivers” (15).
2. Which of the seven factors pose the strongest challenge for you in your classroom?
Of the seven factors, mind-set poses the strongest challenge for me in the classroom. It is difficult to see some of my students, who are capable of achieving, struggle due to lack of motivation. Jensen writes, “Taken together, student mind-set and teacher support can form either a significant asset or serious liability” (13). I hope that I can continue to support and encourage my students in hopes that they see their own abilities and capabilities in themselves.
3. Do these factors seem impossible to overcome, or can you envision overcoming them? Explain your reasoning.
These factors are not impossible to overcome, and I can envision overcoming them. I have seen several of my students make tremendous strides from the beginning of the year to currently in their relationships between their peers and myself. These changes are not made quickly, but changes are evident overtime with great practice and determination to make a difference. This statement resonated with me by stating, “Yet it is more accurate and helpful to understand that many poor students come to school with a narrower-than-expected range of appropriate emotional responses. Many simply do not know how to behave” (16). Our job as educators is much more than simply teaching. We have a lot of other factors that affect our students’ abilities to achieve, and the tips in this book are insightful and helpful.
I agree with you that our students show growth due to the fact that they have a positive relationship with their peers and their teacher. I feel that it is really important that you have a positive relationship with your students.
DeleteI also agree. We need to establish strong connections with our students. We need to challenge them and encourage them.
DeleteI just entered my answers.......and lost before they were published! Here we go again......I think at ISES we see that the chapter accurately portrays what children in poverty go through. Although we have many children who show success and are growing by leaps and bounds, we also have our fair share of children who struggle to keep up, and their economic status does play a role.
ReplyDeleteOf the seven factors listed, I think fifth graders in poverty have the most difficult time with Effort and Energy. Throughout the past 7 years that I have been here, there is definitely a pattern of my lower economic students having a more challenging time staying motivated and putting forth that extra effort. Homework, projects, more detailed-in-class assignments, prove to be overwhelming for many of them. There are times when I have to provide materials and time in class for an at-home project, just so I an ensure they will have something to turn in, like everyone else. A simple writing assignment can prove overwhelming, when a little more effort is required. Many students today are fixated on finishing fast or doing work that requires no critical thinking. My job, is to push their thinking a little harder, and for my poverty-stricken kids, that can definitely be a challenge.
I am working to find activities, projects, group work that is more engaging. I want students to be able to sit and do quality work, but I also want to challenge their thinking and their role as a student, who is trying to get ready for middle school. I think these factors seem reasonable to reach, but I know there is still work to be done.
I agree with Kristen that Effort and Energy is a difficult factor to work with. It is difficult to motivate students of lower economic status. Providing materials for home has made a difference for me as well as giving these students time to work at school for home projects that way I can assist them.
DeleteI agree with Kristen and Valerie. Effort and Energy are so important to motivation, not just for low SES students but for all students. I also provide time at school for work on projects because I know some students will not get the support they need from home. It is challenging to get "fast finishers" to go back and edit their work....they are done; but you're right it is our job to get them to dig deeper and think critically.
DeleteI think this book very accurately portrays the connection between poverty and success in the classroom. It is very clear that students who come from low-economic homes come to school with multiple barriers that prevent them from doing their best in class.
ReplyDeleteVocabulary is toughest for me. Although it is my favorite topic to teach it is difficult when some students do not know what I would consider "basic" vocabulary because their parents spend little/no time talking with their kids and including them in everyday conversations and I am trying to teach them Tier II and Tier III words. I found it very interesting that "toddlers from middle- and upper-income families actually used more words in talking to their parents than low-SES mothers used in talking to their own children". There are many kids in my classroom that I would consider to come from "good" homes but it is very evident that little time is spent with between families talking and explaining/exploring things together.
I can envision overcoming these barriers. However, it is difficult to do so with such a variety of ability levels in one classroom.
Those are some really interesting points, Hannah. I agree with you 100%!
DeleteLike you i find that vocabulary is a particularly challenging area for students. I cannot go back and talk to my students when they are toddlers and preschoolers. I cannot expose them to vocabulary in a natural setting during those formative years. As a result, they struggle acquiring these new words in a more academic setting.
DeleteI completely agree with both Hannahs about the vocabulary. It is especially hard with a wide range of levels of vocabulary.
DeleteI found that particular quote to be very interesting too! I had to reread it just to make sure I understood it correctly.
DeleteHannah- this is so evident in 5th grade.
DeleteI believe this chapter accurately states the connection between poverty and success in the classroom. The children in my classroom have to overcome many obstacles in their lives to be the best that they can be.
ReplyDeleteMind-set is the biggest challenge for me. I've heard my students say from time to time that they are not smart. Also, the lack of motivation in my class is very high. Some of my students do not care if they get a failing grade on assignments. I try everyday to build their confidences up as much as I can! I try different classroom management techniques to show them that it is important to do you best all of the time.
These challenges do not seem possible to overcome. I have seen growth in all areas from the beginning of the year. I have also seen growth since the beginning of last year not only with grades, but with behavior as well.
I really liked when Jensen said "The difference is the teaching. When you care about your students, they respond. When kids like and respect you, they try harder." (13)
Brittany, I also liked that quote and think it shows that we have a greater role in our students' lives than what some of our politicians see. I also think the same context can be applied to our life in general, the more invested someone is in someone of some thing, the more effort they are going to put forth.
DeleteThis comment also resonated with me. I also believe that when a student knows you care for him/her as an individual, he/she will work to impress/please you. This effort will result in improved behavior and learning.
DeleteI would agree that Jensen does an adequate job of identifying the correlation of success and poverty. Based on the leadership courses I have taken, and the three different Title I schools I have worked in, the key factor tends to correlate with the engagement piece. Of the seven factors presented, Factor 5: Cognitive Capacity and Factor 3: Effort and Energy, prove to be the greatest challenge within my current classroom. Not only do we have the cognition piece, but the greater strain is what comes with that, expectations. With some students we have lower expectations from those around, as well as the total opposite, high expectations which may be unlikely to reach within a short amount of time. I believe we can overcome the cognitive deficit by aiming expectations to create higher more obtainable goals as well as decreasing the risk of learned self-helplessness (the idea that we have said "no they can't do that" so many times that eventually they stop trying to do things because they have in their mind already that they are unable to be successful). If we all work together to choose goals that we want students to reach, I believe that we will all be more successful even if we are only making slow consistent gains towards the goal in mind.
ReplyDeleteI like your phrase "slow consistent gains" because there is no easy quick fix for this issue. Reading a book isn't going to change anything if we don't constantly try to improve our teaching methods.
DeleteI agree with the 7 factors listed with #3 (Effort and Energyexplorium) to be the most challenging factor in my opinion. Support at home, relevance to their lives, stressors distracting them, so many other issues create a huge challenge for students to stay focused and excel at school. I believe all teachers at ISES actively try to develop relationships with students. I look forward to see what the author says about how we can directly improve academic success for students. I do think improvement is possible, but only with direct, purposeful steps taken by teachers with support from beyond the school walls.
ReplyDeleteI think that Mr. Jensen is adequate in his view of how poverty impacts education. I like the statement when you are affirmed, challenged, and encouraged, you work harder. This is also true for adults.
ReplyDeleteI feel the strongest challenge for me this year is factor six. Children need reliable, positive adults in their lives. I do feel that strong and secure home relationships help support and stabilize children's behavior. Children need positive, healthy relationships. Mr. Jensen states that children raised in poor households often fail to learn healthy, appropriate emotional responses to everyday situations.
I feel that we can overcome these factors over time. We all want what is best for our students at Iron Station. The best thing we can do is make a difference and be that determining factor in the classroom.
I agree Lisa, those strong and positive relationships can make a huge impact in a child's life. Sometimes we, as teachers, may be the only positive relationship a child has with an adult. This is important to keep in mind as we enter the classroom each day because sometimes we can make a bigger impact that we may realize.
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ReplyDeleteI think this chapter does a great job of stating many of the factors that children in poverty are unfortunately having to deal with in today's society. These seven engagement factors can be seen throughout ISES but also in schools with older students from a variety of other cultures. This year I have been dealing with a hand-full of students with a negative mind-set - as Eric Jensen talks about in factor 4. Just last week, I had a young boy come to me and say "My momma says I'm not going to pass this grade and I'm not as smart as the other kids and I can't do the things they do." It just breaks my heart to hear these things. Children who hear this sort of negative talk from their parents and relatives begin to believe it and no longer think they are worthy of good grades, praise, or things of that nature. Some of my students - as well as many other students around the world - have low self-worth because of the negative things they are told at home. I constantly try to build all of my students up and let them know that they can achieve anything and that they are truly amazing individuals. I can't change their mind-set in a day or perhaps even a school year but I want them to at least hear from me that they have potential and I will praise them for growth, no matter how small. I don't think that this factor or any of the others are impossible to overcome. I think with positive and nurturing environments during the school day we can change the lives of our students and give them the hope that they need.
ReplyDeleteI think that this chapter does well in stating the connection to poverty and achievement. I think the areas addressed are necessary for us to work on to help students succeed despite their economic situations.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the factor that poses the strongest challenge in the classroom is stress level because I cannot fix the stress a student is dealing with at home and as the books says I interpret it as laziness many times.
I think these factors can be overcome but they will definitely be a challenge. I can play my part while the student is here at school to help improve the situation but once they go home and are faced with different issues in a different environment, it becomes a challenge to help them once they come back everyday from that environment.
I agree. I think we as educators can create environments where students can be successful. However, the challenge arises when they have so many negative factors at home
Delete1. Do you think this chapter overstates, understates, or accurately states the connection to poverty and achievement? Why?
ReplyDeleteYes, I think the chapter did a accurate job explaining why students in poverty struggle academically. I think we forget sometimes what students may be dealing with at home that is out of their control.
2. Which of the seven factors pose the strongest challenge for you in your classroom? I think the Cognitive Capacity is the strongest challenge to deal with in the classroom. When you think about a child's IQ score being low due to environmental factors, it makes it very challenging to help overcome that.
3. Do these factors seem impossible to overcome, or can you envision overcoming them? Explain your reasoning.
I think we can help students overcome most obstacles in the classroom. Although, at the end of the day, students have to deal with so much that it does make it challenging to educators. It will be interesting to see what the author says about ways to help overcome such obstacles.
I agree with Amanda :)
DeleteIm hoping this will post cause it's my second try LOL
I already wrote out and essay LOL and it Vaporized.... so trying again but much much shorter.
ReplyDelete1. Do you think this chapter overstates, understates, or accurately states the connection to poverty and achievement? Why?
Yes I agree with these 7 Factors and like how they are broken down
2. Which of the seven factors pose the strongest challenge for you in your classroom? Cognitive Factor is my personal biggest challenge, cause it is so hard to overcome and time consuming to get services for them quickly in this day in age. Parents who struggled in school also seem to accept their child's challenges without much surprise.....
3. Do these factors seem impossible to overcome, or can you envision overcoming them? Explain your reasoning. I my last answer I said basically ISES is making great strides to shorten the gap in all these areas with the introduction of new programs such as Back Packs for Kids, PBIS, ....
Jen, I agree that all of the supports that we are working to keep in place strengthen our students' chances of feeling safe, being willing to take risks, learning new ways of coping, etc.
DeleteI agree that many times the parents experience in school determines how they handle their child's experience. I think some believe that their child will grow up to be just like them so they don't care if the kid excels or not or sometimes the parent will set unrealistic expectations for the child because they want their child to achieve at a level better than they did and this puts an unfair amount of stress on the student to perform. I once made a call home to a parent about a child's lack of effort in my class and the parent told me that they did not like PE in school so they didn't think it was important and that they did not really care if the kid gave effort or not.
DeleteJen, I agree that ISES is doing a great job in our efforts to close some of these gaps. Considering the high level of poverty in out school,our kids are very well behaved. I also love that I see quite a few teachers working with kids to teach them appropriate responses to situations rather than just immediately disciplining inappropriate behavior. So many of these kids will never learn appropriate responses if we do not model for them.
DeleteAs another whose answers have vaporized SEVERAL times, this is a test to see if it work this time.
ReplyDeleteI believe this article accurately states the connection to poverty and achievement. It especially hit on motivation for me with very useful information under #6 relationships. This is the strongest challenge for me right now as I have three students that come to mind who seem very capable of the work we are doing yet appear “lazy”. This actually applies to more than the three. I get negative attitude, inappropriate comments and behavior. While assignments are completed (as quickly as possible) there is no authentic engagement into the tasks that go with the assignments. I get very little participation and definitely no enjoyment in what they are doing. Quite by accident I stumbled upon a discussion with one particular student by asking him to describe to me what he was struggling with on an assignment. By ignoring his negative outburst and “temper tantrum” and getting him to put into words his struggle; he seemed to calm down. His stress level seemed reduced and he actively attempted his assignment. Sometimes I feel overwhelmed when trying to overcome lack of motivation and authentic engagement. I attempt to create meaningful relationships with the students but also feel it is a daily work. One day I feel we have made progress only to start over the next day. I feel like their home life plays a large role in that trust as the relationships at home can change on a daily basis as well. I have been a single mom and understand the struggle of trying to be both parents and it seems high stress and more negative than one person can combat on a daily basis. I feel for single parents and have also felt the judgment passed on someone who has to work long hours and juggle many responsibilities but considered not involved in their child’s life. It is heartbreaking and a very fine tightrope where each day can bring new obstacles not even conceived the day before. As a parent it was tough to see the toll it took on my daughter without really knowing how I could do things better or fix things. So I understand not all parents are just expecting their children to cope that they too care about its effects but are stuck as to what to do differently. I try to use this knowledge to help build better relationships with both students and parents. I see some really good suggestions and hope this book continues to delve into helpful ways to combat obstacles to student learning. I have no doubt that I need to develop as a teacher but finding what & how seems to be a roadblock at times. I am open to finding help. = )
ReplyDeleteYay! It worked!
ReplyDeleteAbbreviated version:
1. Yes
2. Probably stress level affects my work the most. A large percentage of my caseload of individual and small group work centers around impulse control, coping skills, dealing with anger, and communication skills, all of which are directly linked to students living with chronic and/or acute stress. These factors interfere with both the student's learning and the learning of those around him/her. We have children that have to face stressors that would be daunting to any healthy, well-adjusted adult, much less to an emotionally taxed, vulnerable child.
3. I would not say I think they can be "overcome" by what we do at school. But I do believe we play a major part in that process. We have them for five years (maybe) and a child can make incredible progress in these areas with five years of invested teachers and staff. Remembering that helps me stay engaged myself when we have a bad day or a bad week.
Im proud of your effort ;)
Deletehehehehe
I like the way you responded to the third question! Well said!
Delete1. I think parts are overstated, understated and accurate. I believe most to be accurate but I believe the role of the parent is understated. I am not sure that in my class, the 40 minutes a week that I see them will change some of the issues that come up such as entitlement or lack of effort and poor attitude/judgement that is learned or accepted at home. Once a student leaves and returns to an environment, regardless of if its a lower income or higher income environment, and that environment lacks support for the school, curriculum and or rules of society then it is like starting all over every single day.
ReplyDelete2. Health and Nutrition, Effort and Energy, and Mindset
3. No, I do not think that it is impossible to overcome. Building relationships, setting clear rules for effort and discipline and putting to use solid engagement strategies can help overcome.
Coach I think that you hold a unique role at our school because most children enjoy going to PE. While I get to influence my students each day you have the ability to influence all students in our school each week. Sometimes as teachers we can become hardened to the fact that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree, but we never know what a child has to live with at home. I feel that you and Mr. Searing have unique positions in elementary schools because you can be that positive male figure that they see each day (or once a week) and never experience that anywhere else. We never know what a difference a smile or kind word or encouragement from someone can do to improve a child's day.
DeleteOk. I hope this works this time!
ReplyDeleteOk. Finally.
ReplyDelete1. I think the author accurately states the connection between poverty and achievement. I have worked at five different schools and the ones with the highest income levels have more parental involvement, more AIG students and fewer behavior problems.
2. I would say that relationships are challenging for me because I only see the child for 40 minutes per week. With so many kids each week it is very difficult to personally know everything about each child.
3. I believe if we all work together and advocate for these children we can overcome many of these problems.
I agree if we all work together we can help overcome the many problems these children are dealing with in their lives.
Delete2nd Try:
ReplyDelete1. Yes, I thing the author accurately states the connection between poverty and achievement. With the exception of one school, I have always taught in Title I schools and have seen the discrepancies repeatedly.
2. The most difficult factor for me is stress level because I want to be able to "fix" anything that is wrong with my students. It breaks my heart to see a child who has something going on at home where I am unable to provide assistance. I know that these kids carry their burdens to school with them and are deeply impacted throughout the day. All I can do is love them while I have them and try to assist in providing any services the school may have. This is tough for me.
3. Having said that I want to "fix" everything, I do not think we can fix the problem of poverty. I do think we can inspire our students to have a desire to overcome and escape the life of poverty. The most sure way to escape poverty is through education. We can help our students to identify goals, both academic and professional, and help them to see the path to those goals. We have to do more than just teach reading, writing, and arithmetic. We have prepare our students to be successful adults- adults who do not live in poverty.
I agree that we can't fix the students poverty situation at hand, but with good education and supporting them, we can provide the opportunity that they rise above their poverty.
DeleteThat was Jennifer Grey. Don't know why my whole name doesn't show up.
ReplyDelete1. I am on the fence about poverty and achievement. I may be bias to this point because of my own personal experiences with poverty and the struggle to overcome. I think the chapter does a good job on explaining the 7 factors, but they do not all apply in all poverty situations. In this economy we have students who parents work hard and still cannot make their payments each month and qualify for no services to help them. I feel that our lower SES have the first factor taken care of because their parents are familiar with a system that will take care of their needs. The students who are from lower middle class families are the ones I see struggling and their is very little help available to them. They just struggle and this is where I see lack in effort and energy. The parents are tired and the kids are tired from the stress the parents are feeling.
ReplyDelete2. Effort and Energy - Kids experience the stress that the parents are under. Students in situational poverty are struggling just to care sometimes. It doesn't necessarily mean they don't care about anything, but when you are constantly seeing/hearing your parents struggle to make ends meet, getting your homework finished or paying attention is the last thing on their mind.
3. I am an "overcomer"! LOL so are my kids. You have to find what works.
Interesting take on the lower middle class kids, Christie. It seems that many families are struggling now that haven't had that issue in the past, and often the parents don't know how to handle the stress. Kids' emotional security seems to be put on the back burner while Mom and Dad try to figure out how to get the bills paid. No wonder it is difficult for us to convince kids to persevere when Mom and Dad are too busy trying to figure things out than to provide the emotional stability their kids need to keep them motivated.
Delete1 ~ I felt that chapter 1 introduction to the seven factors was very informative of the effects that poverty factors in the success for students education. I also did not think the chapter was overstated but I do believe that children in middle class families are struggling in certain factors stated in chapter 1. I have children that are not in poverty but are dealing with Relationships and Stress.
ReplyDelete2 ~ what I have observed in my class the most is Factor 6 Relationships. This factor poses the strongest factor with my students struggling. I have several young students dealing with absent parent or parents, parent in and out of jail, homes with verbal and violent abuse. What I realized is this in not only my low SES students but also in middle class students. My young students are tremendously affected by their relationships from their caregivers. I have students sad, crying, worried about their mom or dad, and scared that when they go home their parent will not be home. When you are so young and dealing with these issues or stresses you have a hard time doing your best work, reading, and social skills. My little ones act out their frustration by saying unkind words, not wanting to complete assignments, physically hurting their peers and they are less engaged in their academics.
3 ~ I don’t think these factors are impossible to overcome for students to achieve academic success. I think it is a much larger effort for all involved to work together to accomplish success for students.
It is sad that such young children have to take on burdens that most people do not face until much later in life. I appreciate that you are able to understand that sometimes their behaviors are in response to outside forces that are out of our control.
DeleteI agree with Kristen Karr that in regards to fifth graders energy and effort is the most important. These two are what make students successful or not. Fifth graders still have an interest in learning; however, they need to be pushed and encouraged to put forth effort in order to reach their potential. Attitude also plays a pivotal role. Fifth grade is a transitional year whereby a great amount of responsibility is placed on their shoulders as we attempt to prepare them for middle school. Students need to learn to ask for help and are encouraged to ask questions which is important to their success in middle school as switching classrooms more often will put further demands on them to be prepared for class.
ReplyDeleteI apologize for my late response… many technical difficulties!
ReplyDeleteI feel this chapter accurately stated the connection of poverty to achievement. A child’s home life has a direct impact on their achievement. Certainly the income level of the family is a major factor in their environmental influence that will effect all areas of a child.
Of the seven factors, I feel the strongest challenge in my classroom is Factor 4, Mind Set.
Poverty is associated with lowered expectations, just like often times intellectual delays are associated with lowered expectations. In my class, I instill the theory that high expectations yield high results. I also face the challenge of the attitude of several of my parents that their child can’t do certain things, for instance potty training. When I required them to expect the child to use the toilet and we did away with the use of pull ups, I was able to toilet train 4 students! I totally agree with Jensen “when students have positive attitudes about their own capacity, student engagement increases” p.13. This was evident with the positive reinforcement of stickers on a potty chart and resulting in successful potty training!
I feel that nothing is impossible and with the team effort at ISES we will overcome these factors. I look forward to reading the author’s points on how to successfully assist students in overcoming these factors
For the most part, I feel this chapter is accurate in the connections made between poverty and achievement. I know that some low income students only deal with one or two of these issues while others may be dealing with more. The factor that seems to pose the strongest challenge in my classroom is mind set. Due to the fact that the students I serve are the ones who are struggling in reading, some students have a negative mind set about reading group. The younger students are very positive and enjoy the small group activities and time learning and playing reading games. It is the older ones who need the most positive support so that they view time spent in reading group as a means to grow and learn. I want them to see reading group as a learning opportunity to scaffold reading skills so that they are successful in the regular classroom. I try to make my instruction fun and quick paced to keep students engaged and deliver as much instruction as possible in the time that they are with me for reading support.
ReplyDeleteI believe many of the factors discussed in chapter 1 can be overcome. I am challenged by the last sentence in this chapter: "It's not easy, this process requires you to upgrade your repertoire, roll up your sleeves, get a fiercely positive attitude, and charge ahead into your job. But you can make a difference." That is why most of us are teachers today, the desire to make a difference in the lives of children. Our staff is caring and capable and working together we can make a difference.
1. I feel this chapter is right on with the connection of poverty and student performance. The things a child experiences (or does not) while he/she is at home has a direct impact on how he/she is able to perform and function at school. It can be assumed that parents with lower incomes and lower socio-economic status got less formal education, and therefore place less demands on their own children or maybe they are just uninvolved. In addition, they might lack the ability to help with homework when a child reaches a certain grade level.
ReplyDelete2. In speech, we deal mostly with mind set as a factor that would impede learning. A student's progress toward IEP goals is a direct reflection of how well they think they are able to do. One part of the speech mission statement is to never say "I can't." It makes a tremendous difference in the productivity of a speech session to have students who have a desire to improve their articulation.
3. With encouragement from teachers and therapists, I do think a student has the potential to overcome the stigma associated with poverty. One way I can help my students is to celebrate their successes. Students like to feel that they are doing a good job. When a student learns to make a sound the correct way, we really praise him/her and establish a sense of success build confidence.
Jensen portrayed the effects of poverty on education very well and the seven factors he stated are very much seen in this school. I seem to struggle with the fourth factor the most. Every student comes to school with a different opinion of education and what it can do for their future. Unfortunately those ideas effect how well they perform in school. If a student thinks that they are no good at school as a result of what someone in their home life has told them, it is extremely hard to change that point of view. Sometimes no matter how much a teacher tries to help a student understand how much potential they have, they still go home to that same environment that created the idea. I think that these challenges can be overcome but it will take a lot of compassion and hard work.
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ReplyDeleteI am so late to the Chapter 1 party but here goes...I think the author accurately states the connection to poverty and achievement. It was helpful for me to read the preface first to see that he was writing this book as someone who lived through it and not just as a disconnected educator doing research. The seven engagement factors outlined can be huge obstacles for students of poverty. As I was reading through them, I found myself thinking of particular students that I have taught throughout my career who have struggled with each one. The seventh one (stress level) resonated the loudest with me. It saddens me to think that some of my seven and eight year old students have to assume the stress level of the grown-ups in their lives. It isn't developmentally appropriate or conducive for student achievement. I think these challenges can be overcome, but it takes all of us working together as a team. We have to be willing to encourage one another on the toughest of days and celebrate each other on the best of days!
ReplyDelete1. Do you think this chapter overstates, understates, or accurately states the connection to poverty and achievement? Why?
ReplyDeleteI feel that Eric Jensen accurately states the connection to poverty and achievement and the 7 factors he lists as influencing a child's success are very true. I could see them in my son when he first came to us as a foster child. We worked very hard to get Marvin to feel safe and secure at home and at school. I remember getting called to his school because he was under the table and would not come out due to his anxiety over being abandoned. In his pockets I would find food he had saved from school that day because that's what he had done in the past. Nutrition, relationships, and stress level so important to a child's self-esteem and success. I see these factors in my daily involvement with my students...elementary through high school.
2. Which of the seven factors pose the strongest challenge for you in your classroom? Effort and Energy as well as mind set of my students. Too often I hear, "I can't do this; it's too hard; I'm not smart enough." None of which is true, but nonetheless students feel this way. Just the other day I had a student in high school complain about the need to edit an essay, "why do I need to correct it, it doesn't matter, I am not going to be a teacher so who cares?" This student needs to buy into the importance of using correct grammar when writing and using proper language when conversing to be able to complete applications and provide intelligent responses when being interviewed for a job.
3. Do these factors seem impossible to overcome, or can you envision overcoming them? Explain your reasoning.
While the factors are significant and at times may seem overwhelming, they are not insurmountable. As Kelly states, it will take all of us working together as a team to overcome the challenges facing our students and at Iron Station, this is already occurring on a daily basis.
I agree with others that this first chapter accurately explains the connection between poverty and achievement. The factors listed cover many of the aspects in a child's life that occur outside of school. These unknown factors are the ghosts that impact performance. As I stated in a previous comment, I think vocabulary is difficult to overcome in the classroom because it is a foundational skill that I cannot go back in time and teach. Also, I think effort and energy are difficult to overcome because so many different factors play a role here only some of which I can address. Nothing is impossible so while I may see some of these changes as very difficult I am always capable of improving.
ReplyDeleteI will try this again - I think the chapter does accurately state the problem. We can not go back to the years when these children were younger that school age, and unfortunately we can not go home with them. I see the vocabulary as one of the biggest challenges in upper grades. In these grades,students lacking the necessary vocabulary are at a loss in instruction, not understanding the questions they are asked, and then again not understanding what the questions are asking. I think that it is possible to overcome, however, we do not see these outcomes as quickly as we would like, and is we do not keep up with these students years after they leave our classrooms, we most likely will not see the outcomes at all.
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